Taylor Mac - Guthrie Theater

(Originally posted on Minnesota Theater Love)

[Editor's note: All three of the MNTheaterLovers saw Taylor Mac on Saturday night at the Guthrie. The show gave us so much to discuss that we decided to try a round-robin chat instead of a straightforward review. -Jules]

KRL

So - Taylor Mac.

Carly

So yeah!

KRL

Is Jules on here yet?

Jules

Here!

Carly

So we're here because we
needed to process the amazing theatrical event that was Taylor Mac's 20thCentury. [See full title above] What did y'all think?

KRL

Yeah - so - how do we
start? Initial thoughts? Expectations?

Carly

My initial thoughts are that that was a theatrical experience unlike any other I've ever seen.

Jules

I knew Taylor Mac was a New York-based performance artist and a playwright (Mixed Blood did Mac's play Hir in 2015) and that he performed in wild costumes. That was enough to
make me want to see him.

Photo: Dan Norman

KRL

What I knew of Taylor is that judy (Taylor’s chosen preferred pronoun) has performed with Justin Vivian Bond. I knew that Taylor has done a lot of performance and cabaret work in NYC
and that the Maxamoo podcast loves Taylor. As for expectations, I went in open-minded.

Carly

The audience participation element--

KRL

--was fantastic!

Jules
I loved that he used the audience participants in different and unexpected ways.

KRL

I felt it was a bit awkward but it all made sense to everyone at the end. Sometimes audience participation is done just to do it and there is no real good reason for it. Yet Taylor
always explained his purpose to bringing in folks.

Carly

I love that it was so much more than just rote--as you say, KRL. I love that he was really trying to
make change. I love that there was no half-assing it.

KRL

True. It wasn't done just to get the audience involved, it was done to INVOLVE the audience. Not
just physically but emotionally, mentally, politically.

Jules

There was so much food for thought in this show. We got the "abridged" 2.5 hour version of
what will be a 24-hour project, but I can't imagine getting through 24 hours of his work without needing some downtime to process all of his ideas.

Carly

Amen. To both of those thoughts.

KRL

I think the 24 hour would be like seeing any Philip Glass opera for the first time - there is so
much coming at you that you just need to take a break sometimes, and that is totally all right. Or any endurance work. I wonder how Taylor is going to handle the whole experience vocally. I really wanted to ask judy last night about judy's vocal preparation, technique, etc. 

Jules

I loved the idea of getting rid of ideas from the 20th century that no longer serve us in the 21st.
And the elements of acknowledging what has gone before and then releasing it.

Photo: Dan Norman

KRL

Yes!

Carly

For shiz! I loved how he referenced theater in a completely, wild open way. I wanted all of his amazing quotes about theater and audience participation.

Carly

I was looking for some of judy's fab quotes and found this article, which I'm including for later
perusal: The Ridiculous Performance of Taylor Mac, Theatre Journal, Dec. 2012 

Jules

So many wonderful things. I liked him saying that he wasn't an educator but a reminder... here to
remind people of what they may have forgotten. I think that's a wonderful thing to aspire to--to be a reminder.

KRL

Yes! I love that judy knows theater so well and knows how judy can work it as well as judy does.
Taylor knows what works for judy and what doesn't. That self confidence was amazing. The skill judy has in working an audience - only comes from years of practice and really focusing on the audience while performing - a difficult task.

KRL

Sidebar: there are scripts of Taylor's for sale which I am looking forward to. Taylor also has a
vimeo page, and audio recordings! Links at http://www.taylormac.org/.

Carly

From the artist's note in the program: "Popular songs use their simplicity, imperfection and
humanity to rally people towards a cause (whether that cause is to love, fight, celebrate, or mourn.) ... As a result, I've decided the popular song was the form I wanted for a show about imperfection fostering community."

Photo: Dan Norman

Jules

I appreciate the idea of using judy as a pronoun, but I noted that the music director [the wonderful
Matt Ray] used male pronouns [during the talkback], so I decided to be conventional, boring, and heteronormative so as to not confuse myself.

Carly

Hee hee!

KRL

Jules - and I don't think Joe Haj ever used a pronoun but always used judys (judy's?) proper name.

Jules

K-I think you're right!

Carly

Yeah, way to oppress, Jules!

KRL

Anywho - just a note on Radical Faeries. It was a group started in the 70's with the gay movement that was fighting against the gender-normative society, as well as being more open to the pagan aspect of spirituality. [Taylor referred to the show as a 'Radical Faery ritual sacrifice' (sacrificing those 20th century ideas that don't serve us anymore like Patriarchy, etc) more than once. At the talkback, some Radical Faeries in the audience asked if Taylor was part of the group. He considers that he’s sort of an associate member. Not fully engaged, but appreciating most of their message.]

Jules

C-that reminds me about what Taylor said about Patti Smith, Nina Simone, and who was the third? That the message was more important than perfection?

Carly

Tiny Tim!

Jules

Right! I knew there was one more.

KRL

I don't know much about Tiny Tim except he brings in a camp factor while Patti and Nina are so
political and fantastic and serious. Well, Patti is very funny as well but in a very punk way. I heart emoticon her so much.

Carly

I wondered what Tiny Tim added as well, unless it's the pure camp. And everyone should read
Patti's book Just Kids.

KRL

I think Tiny Tim fought some gender roles for sure. Just Kids is great and her books of poetry are really good as well. I have some of her albums that I could share with both of you if you'd like.

Jules

And Tiny Tim stuck to his character for decades. There's some kind of strength there.

KRL

True. Maybe that is what he also brought in - the performance/drag aspect. Creating a character and
living life as that character.

Jules

Good point, K.

Carly

Another interesting note from the Artist's Note: "The goal is that with each performance we build
the community that is participating in this durational work." I think that's what makes this theatrical experience so unique. What he gives the audience and what he asks of us in return.

Jules

I did appreciate his ideas about breaking down and rebuilding communities. That really resonated to
me as we can become to entrenched in our ways of thinking that they become unthinking. And Taylor's work makes us question those ideas and consider whether they still serve us.

KRL

Jules - I did appreciate that aspect as well, and bringing in the audience to help us change our thinking.

Carly

I was thinking of how much this show must take out of him as opposed to a more conventional
theatrical experience.

Jules

I felt like he gave us SO MUCH during the show. But he seemed to be just as giving in the talkback
afterward.

KRL

Carly - I think it takes a lot out of him but also feeds him so much. After all, Taylor mentioned a few
times of how much he loves and thrives on the ambivalence that he gets from an audience - do they like me, do they hate me? That brings us right back to A - audience participation. I felt that we coalesced more as a group/audience than if we had just sat and watched.

Carly

I think Jules put it better. He GIVES so much. I put it badly. KRL, yes, a great point.

Jules

There is something forceful about Taylor's stage presence. Especially at the beginning, before anyone knew what to expect, Taylor was working hard to make us pay attention to him. Because what Taylor was saying was important!

KRL

Jules - I agree to some extent. I think that Taylor had a great point when he said that most people
associate drag with alcoholism. However I know that this is changing. Honestly I think Hedwig started this change - make us as people see that drag is more than just drag.

Carly

I think Taylor's commitment to his work and to the audience is unique, not just among drag performers, but all.

Jules

Commitment is a good word for it, C.

KRL

Carly - I agree. He is fully committed which is so intense. But he isn't just committed to the
"character" Taylor, but it seems to Taylor the performer as well.

Carly

So he talks about the 24-Decade History of Popular Music community (he calls them "The Guild of
Lilies.") Found this interview with him at Bomb magazine.

KRL

I think the Lily aspect relates to this show. http://www.taylormac.org/portfolio_page/the-lilys-revenge/.

Carly

Ooh, can I say that I have NEVER wished so much to be able to bring a camera to a show. SO many
amazing shots of him up in the audience and on stage.

Jules

I'm so happy that the Guthrie (thank you, Joe Haj!) brought Taylor to the stage and I wish every seat had been full. I think people either didn't know who Taylor was or didn't know what to
expect from the show.

KRL

I agree with both of you.

Carly

I wish so too. And I love that Joe committed to him in the [Wurtele] Thrust. Would we have seen that in the Dowling years?

KRL

Taylor is an important artist who more people need to experience. And yes to him being in the thrust
instead of the [Dowling] Studio.

Jules

No, I don't think that would have happened earlier and I think it's a breath of fresh air to have his
message on the same stage as Chekhov. And A Christmas Carol.

Carly

Speaking of the Dowling Studio, can we work on promoting Colman Domingo's show in advance so there's not an empty seat in the house? [A Boy and His Soul, written and performed by Colman Domingo, runs August 9 - August 28, 2016.]

KRL

Yes, we can and we should. It would give us a chance to write about Colman's previous experience here [The Scottsboro Boys, The People's Temple at the Guthrie].

Jules

I do feel like the G should have talked up the show more in advance. And yes, we should talk about
Colman a lot!

KRL

I feel that Taylor is tough to talk up. How do you explain a performer and a performance like that in
a way that will get people in the door? Transformative theater? That scares people away usually.

Carly

Just going to say that,
K!

Jules

True! People don't want
to feel preached to.

KRL

I think there are a lot of ways to talk about it - Transformative, Community building theater, endurance theater - all things that intrigue and interest me, but I know my parents would have no interest. And my mom would be turned off by the drag aspect. Though he should have brought in more of the younger crowd - not just the younger gay crowd. Again - I think is the NY Cabaret scene that is tough to sell/market here because we don't have one.

Carly

I'm not sure endurance theater gets in the punters. 

KRL

So true. I know that I saw The Screens twice as well as Angels in America [legendarily long plays] - both on the all day show days. I love it!

Jules

It is weirdly hard to explain Taylor's show without sounding like it's a polemic or screed. Maybe a
communal artistic experience? Probably wouldn't work on Minnesotans anyway.

KRL

ha ha ha - true

Carly

Oh cripes no.

KRL

And communal artistic experience wouldn't work in NYC either, I don't think.

Jules

But now that a few hundred people have seen what Taylor does, I think it will be easier to talk
about when/if we are able to get him back to the Cities.

Carly

Any last thoughts? How about the musicianship?

KRL

Yes.

Jules

Oh, man, that band! They were an awesome rainbow combo!

Carly

That they were!

KRL

Matt Ryan was amazing on the piano and did incredible arrangements. So amazing. The band sounded great and took their moments to shine, yet sounded incredible together. Clearly they
work together often.

Jules

And the arrangements were so inventive, putting a new perspective on old tunes.

Carly

And the insight we got from the talkback about the spontaneity of the arrangements and mash-ups.

Jules

And I think Taylor practiced what judy preached and made the message more important than the
pretty.

KRL

Taylor's voice was so singular–masculine yet with such a large range and such power! Though I also
feel that it had a bit of an "old Judy Garland/vocal damage" hint to it. Which I find really interesting as Justin Vivian Bond has a very similar vocal sound. It makes me wonder about their backgrounds, and how they got their voices. And I think Taylor's voice was always pretty.

Carly

I feel like Jules's composing an email about Taylor's voice. Cause we just have the one brain.

Jules

Taylor's voice was great, but I think the arrangements, by forgoing the expected sounds, focused
the attention on what Taylor wanted to express through the song. As in, it was about more than pretty.

KRL

Jules - yes, i agree totally.

Carly

Yes, Jules, and Taylor talked about his influences being about more than the song. I mean, more than the singer's voice.

KRL

It was always on focus with judy's message. The whole show was so focused and had such strong
intentions.

Carly

I have one more point to make. We have not even MENTIONED Taylor’s wild costume. And I absolutely love that his costume was basically falling apart at the end. So much better than if
he was immaculate at the end.

KRL

YES! and did he lose part of the long silver front?

Carly

I think he did. And he was fraying.

Jules

Did you think that was intentional? I kept wondering where that part came from.

KRL

It seemed to get shorter after the nazi/Oklahoma bit.

Jules

I really wanted to know a) how heavy was that headpiece and b) how did it stay on Taylor's head?

KRL

Personally, I was hoping Taylor would exit and re-enter in a new costume for the encore.

Jules

I hoped for another Taylor costume too. But there was a lot going on in the one we saw.

Carly

For sure. And I loved how meta and behind the curtain he was with not leaving for his encore.

KRL

craft

Carly

Craft!

Jules

Yes!

  

KRL

I love Taylor’s use of that word. It is such a great catch-all for so much.

Jules

Okay. I will email you both when I have a draft. I think we'll need some cleanup!

Carly

Yay! Hey, next time we do this, I think we will have to take turns.

(co-written by KRL, Carly, and Jules)